DALLAS--E Smith Realty Partners, the commercial real estate group headed by former Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith, has hired Greg Seitz and Marc Rankin to launch the firm's capital markets division, E Smith Capital Partners. Seitz, senior managing director, and Rankin, managing director, will lead the division in Austin and will have offices in additional markets throughout the country.

"Austin is a great home for the leadership team to be able to cover all of Texas and beyond,” Sharon Morrison, CEO of E Smith Realty Partners, told GlobeSt.com. “It will also work well as we add other service lines in Austin. We want a presence in all major cities in our region and Austin is a big part of that.”

Seitz brings more than 33 years of commercial real estate experience to E Smith Capital Partners, with a focus on the capitalization of all income-producing property. Previously he worked at HFF and Bridgepoint Advisors in Atlanta. He has been responsible for more than $1.6 billion in equity and debt financing for income-producing property.

Previously, Rankin launched and served as managing principal at Market Maker Realty and Investments, where he arranged financing for more than $600 million in real estate assets.   

"Expanding our services with a capital markets division is a significant addition to the E Smith Realty team," says Smith, chairman of E Smith Realty Partners. "Marc and Greg are well-respected in the industry and an ideal fit to grow and expand our real estate business."

The launch of E Smith Capital Partners is a result of E Smith Realty's continued growth and nationwide success over the past year, including negotiating transactions totaling more than 7.2 million square feet of office, industrial and retail space. In addition, E Smith Realty recently added two executives to lead their office and agency leasing division in Dallas, with plans for additional growth in 2015.